1 Week in Cornwall

Travel Itinerary

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Itinerary by: Dan Hill

a year ago

Traveller

Accomodation-Hotel Culture-Art Gallery Culture-Castle Culture-Landmark Culture-Museum Culture-Stately Home Culture-Theatre Eat & Drink-Cafe Eat & Drink-IceCream Parlour Entertainment-Aquarium Entertainment-Playground Entertainment-Theme Park Entertainment-Zoo Exhibition-History Nature-Beach Nature-Cliffs Nature-Estuary Nature-Gardens Nature-Island Nature-Ocean Nature-View point Settlement-Town Settlement-Village Transport-Harbour

Duration: 6 days

Itinerary

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
1. St. Michael's Mount - Castle on a Tidal Island
2. Mousehole - Cornish Fishing Village
Day 4
1. The Cornish Seal Sanctuary - Sea Life Trust
2. Trebah Garden
Day 5
1. Flambards Theme Park
Day 6
1. Godrevy - Lighthouse and Seals
2. Paradise Park Wildlife Sactuary and JungleBarn

With a 300 mile dramatic coastline, Cornwall in south west England is a beautiful and idyllic location to spend a week or more. Small fishing villages and long sandy beaches, with rolling waves on the north coast and a riviera feel on the south, mean that Cornwall has something for everyone. Cornwall is a long, vast county - so in this itinerary I have specifically focused on the west of Cornwall - where you'll find loads to do. You'll likely need to adapt this itinerary to adjust for the weather, and the tides (eg. for the trip to St. Michael's Mount). I lived in west Cornwall for 10 years, and still visit twice a year to see family. I hope you'll enjoy this itinerary - and can vouch for all of the activities I have included. You'll need a car to enjoy this itinerary - given the distances required to travel. Look for accommodation with parking - there are plenty of bed and breakfasts, hotels and campsites in the area. If you think you might want to visit the Isles of Scilly on a day trip during your stay, you can check out our itinerary here . *COVID-19* During the COVID-19 crises, the ticketed items here will require you to book ahead. Please visit the website for each activity that I have included.

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Day 1

St Ives and Lelant

On our first day, we'll be exploring the tourist resort town of St Ives - a former active fishing port specialising in pilchards (sardines). You can spend the day exploring the cobbled streets and alleyways, browsing local art work and crafts, and walking the many beaches in the town.

10:00 - 11:00

Porthkidney Sands / Lelant Beach

Saint Ives TR26 3DT, UK

Porthkidney Sands is a north facing and long beach accessed from the village of Lelant, near St. Ives in west Cornwall. It is a favourite setting for many paintings - including several of the most famous and much loved works of the artist John Miller - who passed away in 2002. I love this beach - there are great views along the Hayle Towans (3 miles of golden sands), a view toward Godrevy lighthouse in the distance, Hayle River estuary on the right (popular with bird watchers), a long array of sand dunes behind, and granite cliffs to the left. The tide goes out a very long way! There are a couple of access points to the beach - the easiest to describe being to park near St. Uny's Church in Lelant, and then walk to the left of the church along a public footpath. The footpath soon crosses the land of West Cornwall Golf Club - take head to follow any safety advice (basically, stay on the path until you reach the beach). At the end of the path across the golf course, you can choose to continue straight, underneath a small railway bridge and down some steps to reach the side of the estuary. Turn left here to head to the main beach. Alternatively, you can turn left instead of going under the bridge, and walk along the side of the golf course on the marked path. You will soon reach an iron railway bridge with a path to cross it on your right. Head along this path into the sand dunes, pass the lifeguard hut, and down to the beach. This route may require some scrambling down the dunes! The beach is dramatically different at each state of the tide. At low tide, it can be quite a long walk to the sea itself. You can bring your dogs on the beach all year - and indeed this accounts for the popularity of the beach with dog owners. But don't worry - this is a very large beach! The beach is mainly popular with walkers - most beach dwellers use the beaches of nearby St. Ives - so this could be a good spot if you fancy some relative peace and quiet.

Article By: Dan Hill

Nature-Beach Nature-Estuary Nature-Ocean

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Notes

A great way to start the day is with a brisk walk on the beach. Porthkidney beach is frequented by locals throughout the year for exercise and to enjoy its magnificent views.

Getting there

Lelant is located between the A30 and St. Ives on the A3074. To get to the beach, turn off the A3074 onto Church Road at The Badger Inn in the centre of Lelant, and head toward St. Uny Church - located on a hair-pin bend.

Porthkidney Sands / Lelant Beach

11:30 - 14:00

St. Ives, Cornwall

Wharf Rd, Saint Ives TR26 1LH, UK

Originally an active fishing port, today St. Ives in west Cornwall is a thriving seaside resort also renowned for its artist colony and surfing culture. With a population of around 11,000 people, St. Ives is a place to wander small cobbled streets and alleyways. There are shops selling artwork, and plenty of places to relax in the many restaurants, cafes and pubs. The town has five beaches, taken in walking order: Porthminster is a relatively calm watered beach with a cafe, restaurant and ample space for families. Walking toward the town, the small Lambeth Walk Beach can be found along a walkway behind the present day lifeboat house. Past the harbour, the next beach is St. Ives harbour beach - a relatively small sandy beach with a view of the boats. Walking to Smeatons pier, and turning left, you’ll find the tiny beach of Bamaluz - with rocks and sand. Depending on the wind, occasionally this beach is used by surfers. Continue around the coastal path and you’ll reach Porthgwidden beach - a small but lovely sandy cove with a cafe and a backdrop of the rocky point known as “The Island”. The sea here is generally calm. Continue walking around “The Island”, or take a short-cut across the car park at Porthgwidden, and you’ll reach the largest and main surfing beach of the town: Porthmeor. Here, you can arrange for surfing lessons. There is a lifeguard presence during the summer months here. When the conditions are right (generally when winds are offshore - and most frequently in autumn, spring and winter, but also sometimes summer), Porthmeor can give some great waves for surfers, body boarders and other water sports. Also of note in the town is the Tate St. Ives gallery and the Barbara Hepworth museum, exhibiting many of her works in her sculpture garden. Parking in the town can be problematic. There is a beautiful little branch line train route which runs from St. Erth to St. Ives - meaning that you can leave your car a few miles away, and enjoy a coastal train ride (highly recommended).

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Article By: Dan Hill

Nature-Beach Nature-Ocean Settlement-Town

Notes

There are loads of restaurants and cafes for refreshments in St Ives. If it's comfort food you're after, check out the locally caught fish and chips, or a fresh Cornish Pasty from one of the many specialist bakers in the town.

Getting there

It's about a 10 minute drive from Lelant to St. Ives. Allow extra time to find parking - and for traffic during the busy tourist period. Streets in the town itself are one way, and cars compete with pedestrians for road space, so avoid driving through the actual town if you can.

Travel time

0 hours 10 minutes

St. Ives, Cornwall

14:00 - 15:00

Tate St Ives

Porthmeor Beach, Saint Ives TR26 1TG, UK

Tate St Ives is a sister art gallery to Tate Britain, Tate Modern and Tate Liverpool. I remember this gallery being built on the site of a former gas works, when I was attending schooling in St Ives - so it still feels "new" to me - although it opened way back in 1993. A grand building, with a pillared entrance, it certainly stands out in a town otherwise dominated by small fisherman's cottages. The location of the gallery is one of its attractions - set back slightly from Porthmeor beach - with its golden sands and rolling waves. The view from the cafe terrace is superb - you can look left to the Clodgy Point headland or right to the rocky Island with its little chapel and coast guard watch. Straight ahead, admire the surfers riding the energy from the Atlantic ocean. No stranger to St Ives, Tate took over the management of the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden back in 1980. This gallery will really appeal to you if you enjoy modern works of art. Much of the work here is from local artists and especially the local modernist movement from the 1920s and onward. There are regular exhibitions featured - and I'd recommend a visit to the Tate St Ives web pages - linked to on this page - to check what's on during your visit. Photo Credits: By Sarah Charlesworth, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13926810

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Article By: Dan Hill

Culture-Art Gallery

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Kids	0.00 GBP	Under 18
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Tate St Ives

Day 2

Way Out West

After a day in the busy resort of St Ives, today we'll be heading to quieter climes - heading underground at Geevor Tin Mine, and visiting the picturesque cove at Porthcurno with its own cliff-top theatre and communications museum. A few years ago, Porthcurno was voted as one of the top 10 beaches in the world, and since then its popularity with visitors has soared. Parking in the afternoon could be a challenge.

10:00 - 12:00

Geevor Tin Mine - Mine Museum

Pendeen, Penzance TR19 7EW, UK

Having spent my teenage years in the late 80s and 90s living in west Cornwall, I'd heard about the rich mining history of the area, and seen plenty of mine ruins lining the landscape. Mining in the area dates back to at least 2000 years BC, and continued until the closure of the last working tin mine in Europe - South Crofty, near Camborne in 1998. Geevor Tin Mine, located at Pendeen in Cornwall, operated until 1991. Today, Geevor is open as a museum - and an exceedingly good one. I visited it in 2012 and I finally got a sense of what life was like for the miners. This is not a museum with a few old photographs and models to look at - this museum is the actual mine, workings and machinery that existed when the mine ceased production. It actually feels like the miners could have been working just a few hours before you arrived - time seems to have stood still. There's a guided walking tour into the entrance of a mine shaft - which gives an introductory taste of working underground. Then there's the miner's locker room where you can see where they changed for work and showered after. The tool bags and safety equipment that hung around their waists and their safety helmets hang on the walls. The machine room showing the huge engines is fascinating, as are the sorting conveyor belts where the ore was carried after extraction. I can wholeheartedly recommend visiting Geevor Tin Mine - it's highly educational, interesting, interactive, and very real. Children under 4 get free entrance. A family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children costs £49.75. Photo Credits: Dan Hill

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Article By: Dan Hill

Culture-Museum

Standard	12.95 - 16.10 GBP
Students	9.00 GBP
Kids	9.00 GBP	Under 18
Seniors	13.75 GBP

Geevor Tin Mine - Mine Museum

12:30 - 14:00

Land's End - The Most Westerly Point in England

Land's End, Sennen, Penzance TR19 7AA, UK

Land's End is the name of the most westerly point in mainland England - right at the most south westerly tip of Cornwall. It's a famous landmark and the end point for many-a "John O'Groats (Scotland) to Lands End" expeditions. The geography at Land's End consists of tall grassy granite cliffs over the often rough sea below. There's a pathway that allows visitors to safely walk along the cliff tops. A sign marks the distance to New York (3147 miles) and John O'Groats (874 miles). It can be very windy on the cliffs at Land's End, so come dressed appropriately. Look out to sea, and 1.25 miles away, you'll see the 12 metre high Longship's Lighthouse - completed in 1873. The original paraffin light was electrified in 1967, and the new electric light could be seen up to 19 miles away. The lighthouse was automated in 1988, and today it is therefore no longer manned. In the late 80s, a theme park and hotel complex (The First and Last Inn) was built at Land's End. There's a playground for children, a 4D Film and a few other attractions for children. Twice a week, there's a firework and classical music spectacular "Magic in the Skies". There are 2 shops: "Penwith House" - selling nautically themed gifts, and "First and Last House" - selling Cornish Ice Cream, refreshments and toys for kids. At Land's End you'll need to pay for parking - which is currently 6 pounds.

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Article By: Dan Hill

Accomodation-Hotel Entertainment-Playground Nature-Cliffs Nature-Ocean Nature-View point

Land's End - The Most Westerly Point in England

14:30 - 15:30

PK Porthcurno / Telegraph Museum

PK Porthcurno, Eastern House, Porthcurno, Penzance TR19 6JX, UK

By 1913, the British Empire consisted of 23% of the world's population, or some 412 million people. It had taken nearly a quarter of the world's land mass under its control. In order to establish timely communications in an era before radio, and where transportation was limited to sea vessels, the British government of the 19th century commissioned the Falmouth, Gibraltar & Malta Telegraph Company with laying an undersea cable between Britain and India. The original plan had been to land the cable at the docks at Falmouth in Cornwall - however this was changed to the small coastal village of Porthcurno in order to avoid any accidental damage by mooring ships. From the landing point in Porthcurno, the communications lines made their way up to London. On the 23rd of June 1870, in a remarkable feat, the first near-instant communication was made between Bombay and London. Subsequent cables were laid across the seas, arriving at Newfoundland in Canada, Spain, France and Gibraltar. During World War II, Porthcurno became a target for the Nazis, and local miners were drafted to move key equipment, cables and personnel into newly dug underground tunnels - protected by flame throwers. These tunnels may be visited at the museum. The highlights of the museum are a photographic collection, telling the story of the cables and the original in-place telegraphic equipment. Photo Credits: By Tony Atkin, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12488110

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Article By: Dan Hill

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Standard	9.00 GBP
Group	8.10 GBP
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Kids	5.50 GBP	Under 18
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PK Porthcurno / Telegraph Museum

17:30 - 19:30

The Minack Theatre

The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Penzance TR19 6JU, UK

The Minack Theatre is a unique open air theatre located on the cliffs above the sea in Porthcurno, west Cornwall. It's practically guaranteed that you'll never see a theatrical performance anywhere else with such a spectacular backdrop. Pricing depends on whether you're visiting for an evening performance, or a daytime storytelling - and it's highly recommended that you book in advance. Check the Whats-on guide on the website, found on this page. Come dressed appropriately for the outdoor temperature, and it could be a good idea to bring something comfortable to sit on - since the seats are concrete. A folded jacket may suffice. The theatre was the vision of Rowena Cade - born in 1893. Having bought the headland for 100 pounds, she and her helpers built the theatre largely by hand. She carried the sand up in sacks herself from the beach below - and this was used to make the concrete which forms many of the present structures seen today. She spent the rest of her life building the theatre, and etching designs into the concrete by hand using a screw driver. The bay of Porthcurno, located close by, is also worth a visit - for its white sands and startling turquoise waters (when the sun is shining) - so allow extra time to visit before or after the performance. The box office may be contacted at: +44 (0) 1736 810181. Photo Credits: Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

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Article By: Dan Hill

Culture-Theatre Nature-View point

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The Minack Theatre

Day 3

Mounts Bay

On Day 3, we'll be heading south to Mounts Bay - which has the town of Penzance on its shore. St. Michael's mount is the first stop, followed by the quaint fishing village of Mousehole.

10:00 - 12:00

St. Michael's Mount - Castle on a Tidal Island

St Michael's Mount, Marazion, UK

St. Michael's mount is a tidal island located just off the coast of the town of Marazion, in west Cornwall. When the tide is out, a stone walkway allows visitors to walk across the beach to the island. When the tide is in, an amphibious vehicle drives across the beach, and boats across to the island. The mount was the site of a monastery between the 8th and 11th centuries. If you've ever seen Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France, you might do a double take, because St. Michael's Mount is its Cornish twin, and both sites were run by the Benedictine order of Mont Saint-Michel. That was, until the war-in-France and in 1424, St. Michael's Mount was then gifted to the the Abbess and Convent of Syon at Isleworth, Middlesex. Arriving at the 57 acre mount, you encounter a harbour and a small village with a cafe and a few small shops. The village itself was damaged back in 1755 when the Lisbon Earthquake caused a tsunami and a sudden rise of 2 metres in sea level. By the 19th century, a total of 53 houses were present in the village. In 1954, the Aubyn family gave a large portion of the Mount to The National Trust, and entrance is therefore free for members. Once inside the "paid for" area, you gain access to The Gardens and The Castle. The Castle is divided into a private residence of the St. Aubyn family (whose ancestors have dwelled here since 1650) and a 15th century chapel, set of rooms, stairwells and terraces to publicly explore. There are suits of armour, weapons of old, paintings and stories to explore, set in a "living museum" type arrangement. To reach the castle, you need to walk up a cobbled and windy path, which is steep in some places. There are some magnificent views from the top of the castle across to the mainland. The gardens are set around the base of the mount and are immaculately tendered - and well worth a visit. A family of 2 adults and up to 3 children costs 21 GBP. Children under 5 have free entrance. Photo Credits: Benjamin Elliot on unsplash.com Dan Hill

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Notes

You'll definitely want to consider the tides before heading to St. Michael's Mount. I have always timed my trips with a low tide - where you can walk to the Mount and back along the walk way. At high tides, there's a boat service that operates.

Getting there

Park in the village of Marazion at one of the 2 car parks that overlook the bay.

St. Michael's Mount - Castle on a Tidal Island

12:30 - 14:00

Mousehole - Cornish Fishing Village

Mousehole, UK

Mousehole is a quaint village centred around a fishing port located a couple of miles south of Penzance in west Cornwall. There are records documenting the existence of Mousehole going back to 1283. The route you'll most likely use to get to Mousehole will be the coast road from Newlyn - which is called "Cliff Road" for good reason. The village was rebuilt after it was attacked and destroyed in 1595 by the Spaniard Carlos de Amésquita. The sole surviving building still stands today, with a plaque commemorating the death of Squire Jenkyn Keigwin. The village - current population around 700 - is mostly residential - with granite stone fisherman's style terraced cottages being the predominant buildings. The pub in the village is called "The Ship Inn", and it also sells local seafood. There are 8 other eateries in the village - my favourite being "2 Fore Street" - which I have visited twice. The restaurant is featured in the Michelin Guide 2020, and the food is modern and fresh, with some good options also for vegetarians. I would definitely recommend booking ahead if you're considering visiting this restaurant. The village is often cited as being the home to the last of the Cornish language speakers - toward the end of the 18th century. For many years, Mousehole was a very active fish port - there are records documenting 55 boats in the 18th century - with the caught pilchards (sardines) also being exported to France. To appreciate Mousehole, take a walk around the harbour - and the small streets. The village is highly photogenic, so don't leave without a few photos of this quintessential Cornish fishing port.

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Article By: Dan Hill

Settlement-Village Transport-Harbour

Getting there

The best route to Mousehole from St. Michael's mount follows the coast line. It's only 8 miles, but allow for around 20 minutes to get there. There's a large car park on the left just as you reach Mousehole.

Travel time

0 hours 17 minutes

Mousehole - Cornish Fishing Village

Day 4

Sea Life and Gardens

Today we'll be getting up close with some of the large mammals that live in the coasts around Cornwall - the seals. In the afternoon, it's time to see the plant life - at the sub-tropical gardens of Trebah.

10:00 - 11:30

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary - Sea Life Trust

Rose Terrace, Gweek, Helston TR12 6UG, UK

The Cornish Seal Santuary, located at Gweek in Cornwall, is a rescue centre for injured or sick seals and other marine life from around the Cornish coastline. It is located on a 42 acre site. This is no zoo - the centre's mission is to nurse the animals back to health and release them back into the wild, once they have fully recuperated. The centre also houses a colony of Humboldt penguins, a pair of Asian Short-Clawed otters, and some paddock animals that have received a "home for life". The Seal Sanctuary returns around 70 recuperated seal pups to the oceans each year. Visitors to the site can learn about the rescues that have taken place, as well as learns loads about the the life of a seal. You can watch the seals either from the pool side, or go "underground" and watch them swimming through the large aquarium windows. This is a fascinating place to visit that also supports a great cause. Free admission for children under 3. Photo Credits Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay

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Article By: Dan Hill

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The Cornish Seal Sanctuary - Sea Life Trust

13:00 - 15:30

Trebah Garden

Trebah Garden, Trebah Garden Trust, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth TR11 5JZ, UK

If you're looking for a place to truly relax, I'd recommend a visit to the meandering pathways though the tree laden valley of the sub-tropical Trebah Garden. Once you enter the 26 acre Trebah, there are multiple routes to take - although all lead down the valley. Originally planned as a garden back in 1831, the garden fell into disrepair between the years of 1939 and 1981 following the death of the owner. In 1981, Tony and Eira Hibbert acquired Trebah and started what they thought would be a 3 year project to restore the garden. 25 years later, they were still working on the project - but by 1987 the gardens were formally opened to the public. By the year 2000, annual visitor numbers had reached 100,000. Fascinating for young and old alike, is the "Gunnera Passage" - an almost jungle like experience in the summer months - where you can walk through a plantation of giant 2 metre high Gunnera plants. Throughout the gardens, you'll find interesting plants that seem to sit well in their surroundings. There's a water garden and koi pool toward the top of the valley, and a stream that leads through the entire garden, passing through various ponds until it reaches the private Trebah beach ("Polgwidden") at the bottom. Here, you'll also be welcomed by a cafe selling teas, coffees, freshly made cakes and ice creams. You'll need to be refreshed before you start your walk back up the valley! Children under 5 receive free admission - and there's an adventure playground "Tarzan's Camp" under the trees for little ones to enjoy. Photo Credits: Dan Hill

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Nature-Beach Nature-Gardens

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Trebah Garden

Day 5

Theme Park and History

Day 5 has something for young and old - with the combination of roller-coaster rides and museums at Flambards.

10:30 - 14:30

Flambards Theme Park

Clodgey Ln, Helston TR13, UK

Flambards Theme Park is well worth a visit if you're in west Cornwall with kids, and possibly also worth a visit if you are without kids. The theme parks combines two main concepts. Firstly, there's a "fun ride theme park" including 12 main rides. Investment in rides seems to be fairly consistent - with sizeable new rides added every year or 2. The latest additions are Jurassic Journey (2016) and Sky Force (2017). Secondly, there's a pretty decent indoor museum section covering a few concepts: Britain During The Blitz, a Victorian Britain and an aircraft museum. The aircraft museum was the original concept for Flambards - dating back to 1976 when the attraction was known as "Cornwall Aero Park". You can climb inside the cockpit of a plane, look at a lot of models and interact with multi-media exhibits. I enjoyed the life size streets and shops that have been recreated to illustrate life in Victorian Britain. It might be a difficult struggle to balance everyone's wishes on a visit - kids are more likely to be pulled toward the theme park section, whereas older generation visitors may prefer the museum (younger kids possibly following kicking and screaming). "Kid-friendly" food and drink are available in the cafe on-site, as well as ice creams in the park. Photo Credits: By Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69561625

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Article By: Billy Beel

Culture-Museum Eat & Drink-Cafe Eat & Drink-IceCream Parlour Entertainment-Theme Park Exhibition-History

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Flambards Theme Park

Day 6

Godrevy and The Birds

On Day 6, it's time to get up-close with the landmark of St Ives bay - Godrevy lighthouse. Catch the seals in the bay below. Then we'll head to Paradise Park.

10:30 - 12:30

Godrevy - Lighthouse and Seals

Godrevy Towans, Gwithian, Hayle TR27 5ED, UK

About half a mile from the village of Gwithian lies Godrevy - an area of outstanding national beauty popular with surfers, walkers and bird watchers. There are two National-Trust-run car parks, and an excellent two-floor wooden cafe located at the lower car park. I have been here several times for coffee and cake and had lunch here twice - the food being both healthy and tasty. If you park at the car park by the cafe, and walk toward the right corner of the car park when facing the sea, you will reach a small river - cross it at the bridge. You can now wander freely across the sand dunes, or walk down to the beach. If the wind is favourable (generally, if it's off-shore), you can get some great surfing conditions here. Waves can be anywhere between 2 and 6 feet on the face. The beach is popular with surfers from all around, but non-experienced surfers should be cautious of the powerful waves and currents. If you park at the upper car park (another few hundred metres along the same single track lane passed the lower car park), you'll be parking up on the headland. There are public toilet facilities available here. Walk across the field along the path near the toilets and you'll reach fenced off cliffs. Stay well away from the cliff edge - keep children and pets under strict control. Look below and you'll see a local seal colony. There are signs advising you to be quiet in order to not disturb them. Look across the sea to see the 12 acre Godrevy Island - with the white light house landmark perched upon it. The island lies about 300 metres off the Godrevy Point shore. You'll also see "The Stones", which extend about 1 mile out to sea - visible throughout the bay of St. Ives. The Stones have caused many shipwrecks over the ages, and eventually lead to the construction of the lighthouse in 1859. The sandy beach at Godrevy extends 3 miles (5 kilometres) back toward the town of Hayle. When the tide is out, it is possible to walk the entire distance along the beach. Photo Credits Dan Hill

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Godrevy - Lighthouse and Seals

13:00 - 16:00

Paradise Park Wildlife Sactuary and JungleBarn

16 Trelissick Rd, Hayle TR27 4HB, UK

Following a successful career in copywriting in London, Mike Reynolds and his wife Audrey had a dream of opening a bird garden in which to house their growing collection of tropical birds. They found Glanmor House in Hayle to be an ideal location, and after much work, they opened "Bird Paradise" (as it was then known) in 1973. The park continued to expand - and today the park houses over 1,000 birds (130 species) - with the addition of red pandas, otters, donkeys, sheep and pygmy goats (which children can feed by hand). Located in Hayle near St. Ives in Cornwall, this zoo-style park is laid out among trees on the hillside - with the majority of the animals located in the outside. There's a pool for the penguins, and feeding demonstrations scheduled for throughout the day. One of the highlights is the flight demonstrations by the birds of prey - 3 eagles and a vulture. The Scarlet Macaws also fly free. For energetic kids, there's also the JungleBarn - an indoor play area with drop-slides for the older kids and ball pools and soft play for the younger ones. There is also a cafe serving coffees and teas and child-friendly food. The park also highlights its work with conservation groups to protect endangered species, and its various breeding programmes - including Operation Chough - to introduce the Chough back to its Cornish habitat. Photo Credits Photo by Sid Balachandran on Unsplash Dan Hill

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Paradise Park Wildlife Sactuary and JungleBarn

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Submitted by: Dan Hill, a year ago

About the author

Dan Hill

As the founder of MapADay, I recognise the value of really useful online travel guides - written by fellow travellers. I founded MapADay to create a platform where anybody could share and promote their favourite travel itineraries - in a consistent format that travellers can easily follow. I also hope tour guides, operators, travel photographers and travel bloggers will promote their material on MapADay. I've lived in 5 different countries: UK, France, USA, Canada and now Denmark, and love exploring new places with my family - near and far.

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